High in the Sky

AllMusic Review
by Scott Yanow

Originally put out on a Vault LP, then reissued as half of Jaz's two-fer The Two Sides of Hampton Hawes and finally reissued on CD by Fresh Sound, this little-known trio set matches pianist Hawes with two of his old friends, bassist Leroy Vinnegar and drummer Donald Bailey. Hawes, whose style had evolved from the 1950s, plays five of his originals (including the nearly 11-minute title cut) and "The Look of Love." He was at the time a post-bop pianist with an open mind toward pop music and the more adventurous side of jazz. Unfortunately, this CD is a bit brief at a little over 36 minutes, but it does give listeners a good example of Hampton Hawes' playing during the important transitional period.